Recovery
by Queen Emily the Diligent
Summary: Set after Kenshin's battle with Enishi. Kaoru is waiting for Kenshin to wake up, and is wondering what she missed while she was kidnapped.  Cover pic is mine. XD
1. Chapter 1

**QED: Okay, I know what I'm about to write is not really original, for people have done the same thing with their own style, but I can't help it because I love sappiness!**

**Yahiko: /rolls his eyes/ She's such a fangirl.**

**QED: Yes, I am thank you! But I will never be a fangirl who wants to marry the characters. Ugh! I am a fangirl of the couples. OH, THEY'RE SO CUTE!**

**Yahiko: Earth to QED!**

**QED: Oh yeah, I don't own anything. All I have is some RK merchandise and that's still not really even mine!**

Kaoru knelt beside Kenshin, who was sleeping in a futon, unconscious to the world. Bandages that had been expertly wrapped by Megumi covered almost his entire body. While helping Megumi, Kaoru had noticed older wounds had reopened during the final fight with Yukishiro Enishi. Those had been from the first fight when she had been kidnapped, that much she knew. But why hadn't they healed. They should have been at least almost fully healed.

A muffled sound came from the futon. Kaoru looked up at Kenshin to see him begin to writhe slightly. She began to panic for he wasn't allowed to move just yet, for his wounds had not closed fully. Not knowing what to do, she grabbed his bandaged hand that lay outside the covers.

That instant, he calmed. Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief, but did not let go of Kenshin's hand. It gave some comfort to her as well. For her, it was déjà vu. Only about six months ago after the fight with Shishio Makoto, she had been in the same position, sitting by him, waiting for him to wake up. She prayed that Kenshin would be up soon, and she could see his smiling face.

A light squeeze on her hand brought her out of her thoughts. Kaoru looked down at her hand that held Kenshin's and noticed that his hand had now wrapped itself around hers. Her gaze slowly traveled up his arm to see Kenshin's eyes open and a small smile on his lips.

Kaoru stared at him in shock for a few seconds, when she realized he was awake!

"Kenshin!" she exclaimed softly, too excited to shout. "You're awake! I'll go tell Megumi…" She made a move to get up but her hand still trapped in his grip. She turned back to him. "Is something wrong?" she asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Iie, Kaoru-dono," he answered hoarsely with a slight shake of his head. Kaoru's heart leapt at his mention of her name. "Just please stay with me for a little longer." Kaoru relented and knelt back down.

Kenshin stared up at Kaoru, his heart bursting with joy. She was alive! Seeing her during the fight with Enishi wasn't a dream!

_Kenshin walked over to Kaoru, who stood waiting for him on the beach in front of their friends. "Are you all right?" he asked._

_Kaoru smiled, and he smiled in return and moved forward again. But, he tripped over his own feet into Kaoru's soft embrace. The last thought he remembered before succumbing to the black was, _She…she's…here…with me…

Kenshin felt like shouting, but he wanted to stay and look at her for just a bit longer. So, he had begged.

He squeezed her hand again. It felt small in his grasp, but it was still hers, and she was sitting beside him.

Kaoru noticed his strong gaze at her and blushed again. "Why…why are you staring at me?" she whispered. "You're looking at me as if I came back from the dead."

Kenshin swallowed. By that statement alone, he knew the others had not told her what had happened while she was kidnapped. But, it still brought up horrible memories, and he shut his eyes as if in pain.

"Kenshin! Are you all right?" Kaoru began to panic again.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, giving her a smile. "Hai. This one is all right, that he is, Kaoru-dono. Demo…may this one ask you a favor?"

She nodded. "Of course, Kenshin."

He began to blush slightly. "May you let this one rest his head in your lap?"

Kaoru's eyes widened, and she blushed furiously. "Why?" was her first reaction.

Kenshin turned his head away. "Never mind. It's all right, that it is." Why had he asked that! It went against all propriety! How could he…

His thoughts were interrupted by the swish of cloth and the movement of his head. Kaoru had complied and now cupped his face with her cool hands. Kenshin smiled.

Kaoru had been surprised by his request, but it gave her permission to do something that she hadn't done since when he was unconscious after the fight with Shishio. But this time, he was awake and aware. She blushed again. She brought up the courage to lift his head to her lap and to place her hands on his cheeks.

Her left hand felt the scarred skin beneath it, and she unconsciously began to stroke his scar with her thumb. She was surprised by Kenshin's reaction by closing his eyes in ecstasy. He liked it, and thought made her giddy.

Kaoru's eyes moved to his red hair. It had always fascinated her, how it could be that color, when most Japanese had brown or darker. Her right moved to touch it. It was silky beneath her fingertips, and she began to stroke it.

Kenshin suddenly sighed, and she stopped.

"Iie," he murmured. "Don't stop, please."

Kaoru blushed again and relented without much difficulty. She had been enjoying herself. But one thought plagued her mind. Why was Kenshin being like this? Well, it wasn't as if he suddenly started showing her affection. Before the first battle with Enishi, they both had…well…confessed in a sense. She blushed redder at the memory.

"Hey, Kaoru. Is Kenshin – ," Yahiko stepped into the room, and Kaoru immediately pulled back her hand from Kenshin's hair. "KENSHIN, YOU'RE AWAKE!" he screamed, his face lighting up with joy at his mentor's revival.

Kenshin hid his disappointment, but he knew the others had to know. "Hello, Yahiko," he said smiling at the boy. Kenshin was genuinely glad to see him.

Running footsteps were heard, and Megumi, Sanosuke, Aoshi, and Misao appeared by the shoji.

"Himura!" Misao cried. Kenshin was surprised to see her eyes filling with tears.

"Hello, everyone," Kenshin greeted. "It's nice to see you, that it is."

Suddenly, Sanosuke smirked and pointed. "Yahiko, I think you interrupted something."

"Huh?" Yahiko looked at where Sanosuke was pointing. He grinned. "Ooo," he said and began to sing. "Kenshin and Kaoru sitting in a tree. K-I-…" He didn't get past the first letter, for Kaoru laid Kenshin back down, grabbed her bokken, and began to chase Yahiko about the dojo.

Everyone laughed, and when they calmed down, Aoshi, surprisingly, was the first to speak. "Have you told her?"

Kenshin closed his eyes, laying back on the futon. "Iie, this one has not, that he hasn't. This one cannot bring himself to, that he can't."

"You will have to eventually, Ken-san," Megumi said softly.

"This one knows, but how this one does not know, that he doesn't."

**I could leave it here, but I want to know if I should. I have ideas to continue it, but please let me know! But even if people tell me not to, I might do it anyway, but I would still like your feedback! **

**Thank you! God bless!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, wow! I'VE NEVER HAD THAT MANY REVIEWS IN ONE DAY! Thank you so much! **

**And since you're reading this, I've decided to add another one-shot to add to what I didn't resolve in the last one. So here we go!**

In the dojo, Kaoru hummed to herself as she went through her katas. The dojo had become very quiet, since everyone had gone their separate ways. Yahiko had moved into Sanosuke's old place. This was because Sanosuke had been chased off because of some trouble he had gotten himself into and now was traveling across the world. Megumi had left before him to go begin a new clinic in Aizu while searching for her family. Periodically, she wrote letters to Kaoru, wondering how everyone was and did not fail to ask if they had heard from Sanosuke (or tori-atama, as Megumi wrote).

Kaoru shook her head, smiling. _I hope you come back soon, Sano. As much as she won't admit it, she misses you._

Now it was only Kenshin and herself who took up residence in the dojo. Yes, Yahiko came everyday for practice, but it still wasn't the same. It was back to when she had just met Kenshin, and he started living with her. She blushed._ That phrase sounds like he's…he's…_

_He's WHAT?_ Her mind screamed. Kaoru blushed again. Ever since the battle with Enishi, he had begun to look at her differently. Not in perverted way, but in a way that made her tingle with happiness and made her feel…loved? Yet, it also was tinted with a look of fear, as if it would be the last time he looked at her.

She recalled the time when he woke up after the battle. They had been in quite an intimate position. Kaoru felt her face. Could it get any hotter?

"Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru snapped out her thoughts. "H-hai, Kenshin?" She turned to the red-haired rurouni, who stood by the shoji.

"The laundry is done, that it is," he informed her.

"Ar-rigato, Kenshin," she was able to sputter out.

Kenshin cocked his head a bit. "Are you all right, Kaoru-dono?"

"Hai!" she said a little too quickly. She turned away to try to hide her embarrassment, but suddenly Kenshin was before her and the back of his hand was against her forehead. Kaoru froze.

"You're a little warm, Kaoru-dono, that you are," he stated with some concern. "Are you sure you're all right? You're not exerting yourself too much are you?"

"Of course not, Kenshin," she said, knowing her face was turning redder by the second. "It's just a little hot today, so I guess…" Her excuse was sounding stupid, and she couldn't think of anything else to tell him, for she didn't really want to tell him the truth. Which would be that she was blushing so much.

Kenshin now smiled, mirth coming to his eyes. "Kaoru-dono, it's the middle of March and a little chilly today, that it is." He could tell she was hiding something, but he could sense it wasn't harmful and found her predicament quite comical.

"Oh, right!" she said, quickly. "I…I must of…ano…"

Kenshin couldn't hold it anymore and began to laugh. She had looked so adorable when she had stumbled to answer.

Kaoru frowned, but it didn't stay long, for she was awed at the fact that Kenshin was…laughing! Yes, he chuckled and smirked, but laugh? Hard? She didn't think she heard it before. He had been so moody lately, but not in a way that was obvious. She had only noticed it a few times. If was as if he was trying to hide something from her.

She turned back to Kenshin and smiled. "I think this is the first time I've heard you laugh so wholeheartedly."

He stopped laughing. "Oro?"

Kaoru giggled. "Well, you're always so…ano…gloomy all the time. You should laugh more often."

"I am?" Kenshin asked.

She poked him in the chest. "Hai, like something is always hanging over you."

Kenshin said nothing. She was right. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed like that. And something was hanging over him. The memory of her faked death. When he discovered she was alive, he had been determined to make her his. He still was. He had even bought a ring! It even lay in his gi! He…he only hadn't found the time and place.

"You are right, that you are, Kaoru-dono," he said softly. "Sessha is sorry to have worried you, that he is."

Kaoru frowned. "Don't call yourself that!" she cried; tears threatened to fall. "You are not unworthy, Kenshin!"

"Gomen ne, Kaoru-dono." He bowed his head in apology. That was one of the reasons why he loved her so much. She didn't care about his past.

"I forgive you, Kenshin," she said, her tone softening. She began to turn away, but Kenshin taught her hand in his. Kaoru felt her face heat once again.

"Kaoru-dono, there is something that this one must tell you, that there is."

Kaoru turned back to him to see his violet eyes burning with determination. "Hai?"

Kenshin chewed on his bottom lip. This was harder than he thought. "Ano…Kaoru…"

Her eyes lit up. _He said my name!_

Kenshin saw the gleam in her eyes, and he took that as some reassurance. "Would you join this one for a walk, Kaoru-dono?"

He had said "Kaoru-dono" again, but this time she wanted him to say it. How he had said it made her body tingle.

Kaoru nodded. "Aa."

The two of them made their way out of the dojo, walking silently side by side. Kaoru wrung her hands nervously, trying to figure out why he was acting so abnormally. As they continued, Kaoru realized he was guiding her to a familiar spot to the two of them. It was where he had said good-bye to her when he left for Kyoto.

_He's not going to leave again! _she told herself. _Is he?_

Kenshin stopped by cherry blossom trees, beginning to bud in anticipation for spring. He looked out the water, trying to sort out what he was about to say. Without looking at Kaoru, he felt her ki and realized it was filled with dread. _She thinks I'm going to leave again! _he thought with anxiety.

Kenshin swallowed hard and turned to Kaoru.

"Kaoru-dono, last time we were here you welcomed this one home, that you did." He paused and smiled at her. "Then later, I told you that was the first time I said I was home, but I forgot one thing, that I did."

"And what was that, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked softly, looking down on her hands.

Kenshin took a deep breath and brought his hand to her chin, lifting it. "I was home then because I was with you, that I was, and I hope to always be." He paused and reached into his sleeve to pull out the ring. "Kaoru," leaving off the honorific, "will you marry me?"

Kaoru stared in shock and Kenshin for a moment thought she was refusing when she pulled out her bokken from nowhere and hit him on the head!

"What took you so long, you BAKA?" cried Kaoru, holding out her bokken to a swirly-eyed Kenshin, who lay on the ground oro-ing.

Kenshin smiled sheepishly up at her from the ground, rubbing his head. "Is that a yes?"

Kaoru's bottom lip and shoulders began to tremble at an unsuccessful effort to stop tears. "Of course, Kenshin no baka!" she said, throwing her arms around him, but pulled back for a moment so he could slip on the ring.

Kaoru stared at it. "Is this a dream?" she whispered.

Kenshin chuckled. "I would hope not, that I do." Kaoru blushed in response and leaned forward into his chest. Seizing the opportunity, Kenshin held her close, drowning in her sent, knowing what he had to do.

"Kaoru-koishii," Kenshin began, his throat beginning to constrict. "I don't want to tell you this now, but I must, that I do."

Kaoru sat up and saw Kenshin's eyes filled with pain. It was the same pain that she had seen multiple times ever since Enishi's Jinchuu. "What it is, Kenshin?"

He bowed his head. "It's what happened when you were kidnapped by Enishi, that it is," he said, so softly she had to strain to hear him.

Kaoru said nothing, and Kenshin continued. "I had almost beaten Enishi, when Kujiranami came out of nowhere and pinned me to the dojo wall. Enishi then went after you." His shoulders began to shake. "I was pinned not able to stop him from taking you, and when Sano and Saito took Kujiranami down, I ran to find you.

"But, I couldn't. All I heard was Enishi's voice screaming in my ears, telling me to look and suffer." Tears were coming now, and Kenshin did nothing to stop them. "I followed his voice to come to the dojo where…where…"

Knowing he had to finish, Kaoru simply laid her hand on his. He clenched it in response. _She's right here. Not there…_

"I saw you…(swallow)…pinned to the dojo wall…with Enishi's sword…embedded in your chest…and…a cross-shaped cut…on your left cheek…" Kenshin gritted his teeth. It was done. He had done it. But, his heart still ripped at the memory.

"You…you all thought I was…dead?" Kaoru whispered. "Enishi made you believe that?"

"Hai," he answered.

"So that's why you were all acting strange afterward," she said softly.

"Aa, but there's more to tell," said Kenshin, his heart clenching again. "Afterward, I went to the Fallen Village."

Kaoru gasped. "Why, Kenshin?"

Kenshin looked up at her and could bear it no longer. He pulled Kaoru into his arms, holding her tightly, his face buried in her neck. Kaoru felt his tears seeping through her training gi.

He finally spoke. "I had lost you. You were gone, and so did my will to live and fight. It only came back when Tsubame-dono came to me to help Yahiko." He let his fingers move through her hair, giving himself more assurance she was there. "You cannot imagine my joy when I found out you were alive," he said breathlessly. "It was then when I decided to ask you to marry me, that I did."

Kaoru smiled, pushing back to look into his tear-stained face. She placed her hands on his cheeks, making him look at her. "And you did, Kenshin…no…anata."

Kenshin's eyes widened at the endearment, his heart bursting pleasure. His eyes took in every part of her face as if to burn it in his memory. They finally rested on her lips.

"May…I…?"

Kaoru's smiled widened, her eyes lighting with some amusement. "Of course, you baka," she whispered.

He needed nothing more and tilted his head to capture her lips in his. It was a gentle kiss, small and slow, but it did not matter. It did not stop the passion and love behind it.

Kenshin pulled away slightly but still rested his forehead against Kaoru's, gazing into her bright eyes. "Ashiteru."

Kaoru smiled back. "And I love you, my Kenshin."

**Ok, maybe it was too sappy of an ending or too cheesy, but I'm happy with it. I like sappiness! Don't make fun!**

**I wasn't sure if I should have put the proposal before or after the Kenshin telling Kaoru about what happened, but I thought it was best after, but let me know what you think.**

**I also wanted to make it tie in with my other story **_**Hero, Battousai, Father, **_**so that's why the proposal is the same. (I'm sorry, Sacred Sword Heart, but I'm copying you in that aspect. Please forgive me!)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Read this!**

**I know. I said I was going to end **_**Recovery**_** with the previous chapter, but this one has been hanging in my mind and won't leave me alone, so I'm adding another chapter. I'm pretty sure it's going to be really short, kind of like an epilogue but whatever. I just have to get it out. I probably would have put it alone, but it has to do with the main idea of **_**Recovery**_** so I decided to put it in it. **

**Okay, I'm rambling, so I'm done. **

**I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. :'( **

_No. This wasn't happening. No! _

_ Kenshin ran in the direction of the dojo as fast as he could, but the faster he moved his legs; the farther the dojo seemed to be. _No! Kaoru!_ His legs began to feel like lead, and all he could hear was a voice whispering cruelly, "You're not going to make it!"_

_ "No! I need to!" he screamed back, his hand reaching to the dojo, willing himself to move even faster, but it still was too slow._

_ "Kaoru!" _

_ He had finally reached it! "I've made it!" He flung the shoji open. "I've-"_

_ No, he had not._

_ "KAORU!"_

Kenshin woke up screaming, his body sitting up in the futon and his hand reaching out to nowhere. He was panting hard; his body covered in cold sweat.

"Kenshin! What's wrong?"

Kenshin turned to see his young wife sitting up, awake, beside him. He stared at her for a few long moments. Not able to speak for still in shock from the dream, he simply collapsed into her lap, burying his face into her stomach.

"Kaoru," he whispered, shaking with silent sobs.

A light hand stroked his hair comfortingly. "It's all right, anata," Kaoru murmured softly. "I'm here."

Kenshin wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling tightly, trying to convince himself that it had been only a dream, and he would never lose her again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Kaoru, knowing he had had another nightmare.

"It was that time," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. He didn't say anything further, only tightened his embrace and kept his head in her lap.

Kaoru said nothing, knowing exactly what he meant. It was the time he thought she was dead. She simply wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back to rid him of his trembling.

Suddenly, Kaoru felt something. Her eyes widened. _It couldn't be!_ But, she knew it was. She smiled.

"Kenshin-anata," her voice brimming with joy. She guided his head to her slightly bulging stomach. "Listen."

Immediately, Kenshin felt his fear fly away when he felt the small kick of new life.

"See, Kenshin. This baby is further proof that I'm here with you. Of our love."

Again, Kenshin felt tears coming, but this time he didn't stop them, his heart bursting with joy. "Baby," he said. "I want to let you know that your mother is the most amazing woman." He felt another kick as if in agreement and smiled. He sat up and looked his wife in the eyes and kissed her softly.

"Thank you, Kaoru."

**Okay, this story is OFFICAILLY over. Sorry, but I felt I needed to add this, and I hope it doesn't make it too much. I know, more sappiness, but they're my favorite couple! And I couldn't help add some Kenji in there too!**


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